The Century Modesto | Full-Service Venue with Award-Winning Catering
Award-Winning Catering at The Century: Executive Chef Robert Root Advances to Napa 🍷🔪
At The Century, a full-service wedding and event venue in downtown Modesto, award-winning cuisine is a cornerstone of every celebration led by Executive Chef Robert Root, whose talent was recently recognized at Sysco’s Battle of the Blades.
We are incredibly proud to share that Executive Chef Robert Root of The Century has won the Central California Regional Semi-Final of the Sysco Culinary Battle of the Blades and is officially advancing to the Finale in Napa Valley, where he’ll compete against the top regional chefs from Northern California.
This achievement reflects not only Chef Robert’s technical skill, but his creativity, composure under pressure, and deep understanding of flavor, qualities our clients get to experience firsthand at every event hosted at The Century.
What Is Sysco’s Battle of the Blades?
Sysco’s Battle of the Blades is a national culinary competition designed to spotlight professional chefs and are judged on creativity, originality, technical skill, time management under pressure, and elevated use of everyday ingredients
Through multiple rounds, including recipe submission, regional semi-finals, and a final championship, chefs are pushed to perform at the highest level, both conceptually and technically for a chance to win the title of Culinary Artisan of the Year.
The Road to the Semi-Finals: A Recipe Challenge Across Three Regions
The journey to the semi-finals began with an original recipe submission open to chefs from three competitive regions Central California, Sacramento, and San Francisco. To qualify, chefs were required to create a completely original dish using three surprise ingredients of coconut milk, Spiceology Korean BBQ seasoning, and Mike’s Hot Honey.
The Dish That Secured His Spot
For the recipe submission round, Chef Robert created a Korean Spiced Coconut Ice Cream with Hot Honey Drizzle.
An ultra-creamy coconut ice cream infused with Korean spice and coconut sugar, scooped soft and finished with toasted coconut, bright lemon verbena, and a generous drizzle of Mike's Hot Honey.
The dish impressed judges with its bold flavor contrasts, cool and creamy balanced by heat, sweetness, and aromatic freshness, that demonstrated Chef Robert’s originality and ability to elevate unexpected ingredients into a refined, unexpected cohesive dessert.
The Semi-Final Showdown: Central California Region
On February 3, the Central California Regional Semi-Final took place in a live, high-pressure cooking environment. Competing chefs were given 45 minutes to conceptualize and execute a dish using a new set of mystery ingredients revealed on the spot:
Bikini shrimp
Brussels sprout leaves
Soy pearls
Chef Robert rose to the challenge, crafting a standout risotto built on bikini shrimp and Brussels sprout leaf stock—a move that showcased both technical confidence and smart time management.
Preparing a properly cooked risotto within a 45-minute competition window requires precision, instinct, and calm execution. Chef Robert delivered, earning top marks from the judges and securing his win for the Central California region.
Next Stop: The Finale in Napa Valley 🍇
With his regional win secured, Chef Robert is now headed to Napa Valley to compete in the Battle of the Blades Finale, where regional champions will face off for the national title.
We can’t wait to cheer him on and share updates as he represents Central California—and The Century—on this prestigious stage.
Award-Winning Cuisine, Every Day at The Century
As a full-service wedding and event venue, The Century offers seamless planning paired with in-house, chef-driven catering. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Robert Root, every menu is customized, seasonal, and designed to elevate the guest experience from first bite to final course.
Chef Robert brings the same creativity, discipline, and passion seen in this competition to every menu he designs at The Century. From weddings to corporate events, his leadership ensures cuisine that is thoughtful, elevated, and unforgettable.
When you host an event at The Century, you’re partnering with a culinary team led by a regional champion chef, and soon, we hope, Culinary Artisan of the Year.
👉 Interested in hosting an event with award-winning cuisine? Reach out to our events team to learn more.
